At the time of writing, Mario Balotelli is playing for Genoa, the 12th club of his professional career. The Italian was regarded as a highly promising talent in his youth and while he has shown glimpses of reaching his potential throughout his career, his playing days have been marred by attitude problems.
Balotelli began his career as a youngster with Lumezzane, joining Inter Milan in 2006 and debuting for their senior team the following year. Balotelli played for the club until 2010 and there were things to suggest, even in the infancy of Balotelli’s career, that his personality could prove somewhat problematic.
The striker moved abroad in 2010, joining Manchester City and helping the club win their first-ever Premier League title in the 2011/12 season. In the campaign directly after, however, disciplinary issues once again impacted Balotelli, who was sold to AC Milan in January 2013.
Now with Inter’s arch-rivals, Balotelli rediscovered his form in Italy, though lost it upon his return to England in 2014, when he signed for Liverpool, soon returning to Milan on loan. Balotelli has since spent time in France with Nice and Marseille, Turkey with Adana Demirspor and Switzerland with Sion, returning to Italian football first in 2020 with Monza and then 2024 with Genoa, where he remains today.
Mario Balotelli Career Stats
Playing Career
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Notable Clubs
An Italian international for eight years between 2010 and 2018, questions will be asked about Balotelli’s career long after he retires over what perhaps could have been for the striker. Back in 2022, speaking to Puma via The Sun, Balotelli shared the names that make up his best XI of football players and chose some exceptional names.
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Goalkeeper and Defence
Italian spine for Balotelli’s team
In goal, Balotelli elected to choose a Brazilian, but one who made his name in Italy. Retired since 2018, Julio Cesar enjoyed a long career in football that spanned over two decades, but found the most success with Inter Milan, who he played for between 2005 and 2012. Cesar was part of the Jose Mourinho side that won a European treble in the 2009/10 campaign and in England, represented Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League.
Ahead of Cesar, Balotelli named a legendary pair of Italian centre-backs: Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro. Nesta spent nine years with Lazio and a decade with AC Milan between 1993 and 2012 and remains regarded as one of his generation's greatest defenders.
Cannavaro, meanwhile, spent the bulk of his career with Parma, though found great success with Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid and the Italian national team. Cannavaro captained Italy to World Cup glory in 2006, the same year that he became the third defender to win the Ballon d’Or.
On the flanks, Balotelli named Maxwell and Maicon. Both were teammates with Balotelli at Inter Milan, who Maxwell played for between 2006 and 2009 before tenures at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Maicon spent six years with Inter, joining in the same year as Maxwell did and becoming one of the world’s best right-backs for a time.
Midfield
One ‘guarantees ten goals,’ the other could ‘do it all’
Moving into a midfield diamond of four players, Balotelli named Andrea Pirlo at the heart of his team. The Italian spent a decade with AC Milan and after being deemed too old and departing in 2011, enjoyed four further years at the highest level with Juventus. About the midfielder, Balotelli noted that “Pirlo guarantees you 10 goals a year.”
Joining Pirlo in Balotelli’s midfield were Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and Yaya Toure, two of the Premier League’s best-ever midfielders. Gerrard spent 17 years at Anfield, most notably winning the 2005 Champions League along with numerous domestic cups.
Toure, meanwhile, played with Balotelli at Manchester City. The Ivorian moved there from Barcelona in 2010 and spent eight years at the Etihad, establishing himself as one of the best in the world. As Balotelli simply put it, “Yaya (could) do it all.”
Attack
Some stars were omitted
Finally in Balotelli’s team was his attacking line, composed of two central players. In one space, of course, was Lionel Messi. Now playing for Inter Miami, Messi enjoyed a stellar career with Barcelona and with the lifting of the 2022 World Cup, has practically won everything that there is to win in football at the highest level.
Partnering Messi in Balotelli’s attack was the Brazilian Ronaldo. Much has been said about the injuries that R9 suffered in his career, but even still, the forward was one of his generation’s best. Ronaldo won two Ballon d’Or awards in a career that saw him represent the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.
( All stats are fromTransfermarktand are correct as of 14/09/2025 )
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